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Photo courtesy of zimbio.com. Despite not playing this weekend at the Masters, golf expert Peter Schmidt says Dustin Johnson (pictured above) is a definite player to keep an eye on during 2012.

By Peter Schmidt

It is common golf etiquette that one player never roots against or jeers on another player. In a game that prides itself on its gentlemanly nature, a sign of negative disapproval is seen as a lack of integrity and honor. It is because of this that golfers shake hands, tell each other “nice shot” even while competing against one another, and wait their turn politely.

However, this is 2012. We, as a race, love to pick sides and cheer for and against our favorite teams and athletes. Sometimes this can be difficult with the PGA Tour because there are always so many fresh faces and it is so difficult to differentiate many of the players. In order to remedy this situation, I would like to present you with who you should and shouldn’t be cheering for this year at the Masters and for the remainder of the PGA season. I left out some of the more obvious players like Tiger, Phil, and Rory because I am sure even the casual golf fan has developed an opinion on these guys. I will split it up into three categories to help you pick which type of player is right for you: The John Daly’s, The Rocco Mediate’s, and the Payne Stewart’s.

The John Daly’s

These are the kind of guys who play the sport with reckless disregard. They are so villainous that they may have an alcoholic drink named after them someday. They are out to earn championships and will cut throats to do so. If you are looking for the bad guys, here they are.

Dustin Johnson. The towering power hitter just does not care what you think about him. He tees it up and is hoping to hurt the ball. He has had a few encounters with greatness (2010 US Open where he choked, 2010 PGA where he cheated, and 2011 British Open), but has yet to reach the pinnacle of his golfing career. He is the gunslinger out to cash checks. He oozes arrogance and although he is not playing at the Masters this weekend, he will surely have an impact on the tour. Plus, he is sponsored by Taylor Made’s Rocket Ballz, which just sounds devious (or childish). Continue reading →